Developing Positive Assertiveness Free Essays

string(49) " becomes natural and integrated into daily life\." Summary Developing assertiveness is more than just learning to speak differently. Being assertive requires thinking assertively, behaving positively and feeling self-confident. We must all make a conscious effort to be consistently assertive. We will write a custom essay sample on Developing Positive Assertiveness or any similar topic only for you Order Now As we learn to become more assertive we reduce our stress, failures, dissatisfactions and conflicts. Developing assertiveness requires effort but the rewards are worth it. Successful behavior change requires thinking and doing. Behavior change is possible once you understand that it is an evolving, ongoing process that can be accomplished by moving through various stages. This essay discusses and describes the different behavioral types along with recipes to lead to successful behavioral change. It examines the effects of positive mental imagery and the self-fulfilling prophecy towards programming yourself towards success. It explores the four steps for powerful assertiveness along with how to deal and prepare for confrontation. Assertiveness is the antidote to fear, shyness, passivity, and even anger, so there is an astonishingly wide range of situations in which this training is appropriate. The case study demonstrates how after assertiveness training employees feel empowered with tools and skills to handle any communication situation. All of us should insist on being treated fairly — to stand up for our rights without violating the rights of others. This means tactfully, justly and effectively expressing our preferences, needs, opinions and feelings. We do this through the development of positive assertiveness. Introduction When we hear the word assertive most people think of someone standing their ground refusing to give an inch and pushing to have their own way. Others think of someone who is stubborn on certain issues but overall a nice individual. Others do not know what assertive behavior really is. Assertive behavior is a natural style while being honest, direct and respectful while interacting with others. Why is there a need for assertiveness training books and courses? They are essential as most people do not understand the importance of using assertive behavior. As more and more people develop assertiveness and start to influence others, the awareness and acceptance of this behavior type will increase. Everyone should aspire to be assertive – it is a desirable behavior, it is vital for honest, healthy relationships. It is the behavior necessary for positive outcomes in negotiation, normal business dealings, conflict resolution and also in family life. †The assertive individual is a tower of strength with high self-esteem with clear self-knowledge and able to accept their own shortcomings as well as their strengths. † Figure 1: The Assertiveness Triangle. The Three Main Behavioral Types No one is consistently assertive, we all follow these three basic behavioral types depending on the situation: Passive – this behavior is passive and indirect. It conveys a message of inferiority. By being nonassertive, we allow the needs, wants and rights of others to be more important than our own. It creates a behavior of â€Å"win-lose† situations. A nonassertive person loses or is disregarded while allowing others to win. This leads to being a victim not a winner. Aggressive – this behavior is complex, it can be either passive or active. Aggression can be direct or non-direct, honest or dishonest. It communicates an impression of disrespect and superiority. Assertive – this is when a person stands up for their legitimate rights in such a way that the rights of others are not violated. It communicates respect for others behavior. It is an honest, direct and appropriate expression of one’s beliefs, feelings and opinions. Figure 2: Assertiveness, graph mode. Figure 3: The different behavioral types. Figure 4: Examples of the different types of behavior. Successful Change of Behavior Successful behavior change requires thinking and doing. Behavior change is possible once you understand that it is an evolving, ongoing process that can be accomplished by moving through various stages. Real change comes only after persistent action. The more frequently people perform a behavior, the more habitual and automatic it becomes, requiring little effort or conscious attention. Figure 5: Motivation and ability graph. Figure 6: Target behavior graph showing effects of core motivators. Positive Mental Imagery When developing positive assertiveness you will begin to start practicing new ways of expressing yourself and handling yourself. It is a good idea to also practice the technique of positive mental imagery. This is using your imagination to visualize yourself saying and doing things successfully and assertively. Envision situations in which you see yourself being assertive, feel confident, powerful and effective. Only imagine positive outcomes. Think of positive mental imagery as being proactive in the journey of developing positive assertiveness. Four P’s of Successful Change Any type of change whether big or small can be challenging. For many, large scale change only occurs when after a traumatic experience. However, one does not need a traumatic upset to prompt change. To make a successful change, you do need to be prepared. There are 4 rules which help to retain these changes. 1. Protection – Change is often very scary. One of the reasons we do not change is because of fear. Our fear can be vague but enough to sabotage successful change. Having protection can help to stick with a commitment to change. It may be best to start your successful assertiveness in an environment which feels very safe. Change one thing at a time – slow and steady wins the race. 2. Potency – Change is an active process not a passive process. It is necessary to put in some mental effort, emotional involvement and physical activity. To tap into your potency: define your goal in simple, active, positive words. Write down your change goal and display it where you can see it every day. Imagine practicing your goal of positive assertiveness and visualize yourself doing this with ease. . Permission – Each of us requires permission of change ourselves. Be sure to give yourself permission to change. 4. Practice – To become skillful with any behavior requires practice. A large amount of practice may be needed before your new behavior becomes natural and integrated into daily life. You read "Developing Positive Assertiveness" in category "Papers" Develop a practice schedule, be specific ab out how often, when and where. Record your efforts and successes. Self-Fulfilling Prophecy The self-fulfilling prophecy is a statement that alters actions and therefore comes true. For example, a person stating â€Å"I’m probably going to have a lousy day,† might alter his actions so that such a prediction is fulfilled by his actions. This may be an unconscious gesture. A person who embraces the self-fulfilling prophecy in a positive way â€Å"I’m going to have a great day† might act in ways that will actually make this prediction true. Programming Yourself for Success If you want to program yourself for success you will need to understand that if you only put rubbish into your head, you will only ever get trashy results in your life! The human minds works just like a computer- when it comes to basic programming the same basic rules apply: if only negative stuff goes in then only negativity will come out. If you want to program yourself for success then you need to lock your mind against every single thought that is not coloured with success and covered with positivity. Many people struggle with reprogramming themselves for success because although they practice positive thinking, they visualize and say their affirmations, negativity is still the predominant factor in their lives. It is not the affirmations and the visualizations that are getting in the way, but rather the thoughts and the feelings that are active the rest of the time! The only way you are going to program yourself for success is to go on the offensive, and to make a conscious effort to not only have a constant intake of positive, success-filled thoughts and feelings, but to also avoid any thoughts and feelings that cancel out your success-driven mentality. The Four Steps for Powerful Assertiveness There are four basic steps that can help you to become more assertive in everyday dealings with others. Step 1: Repeat the Question or Statement To add power to your assertiveness the first thing to do is to repeat the question. Ensure that you have good eye contact and speak with confident, assertive voice tones. It may be necessary to emphasize certain words the second time to increase the chances of getting your point across. Step 2: Command, don’t ask If the person continues to refuse to co-operate, switch from asking to commanding. Being directive tends to sound more powerful than a request to most. Learn to use the request for the majority of people, the average person will hear your request as polite and appropriate, there is less risk of sounding pushy. If the request does not produce results then change the request to a command. Step 3: Add Some Emotion If your efforts are still unsuccessful you can add emotion as another way to add power to your assertiveness. People are unaccustomed to open emotions and honesty and by using these you can add significant power to your communication. Step 4: Introduce Consequences By introducing consequences it is a final way to add power to your assertiveness. They are not threats, they are simply statements of what your intentions are if you do not get co-operation. Consequences need to be stated in advance to give the other person a chance to change their behavior. Consequences need to be strong and believable, the action needs to be something undesirable. You must be willing to follow through on the consequence if necessary. If you are tested by the other person and you do not take the action you said you would, you will lose all credibility and power not just with that person but perhaps also with others. Case Study Assertiveness training helps administrative assistants forge positive relationships with internal and external customers. Situation: A college recognised that its administrative assistants work with a range of internal and external customers and assertiveness training with this these employees could have a positive impact throughout the organisation. This group also tends to be passive. Challenge: The administrative assistants report to multiple faculty members, and they felt powerless to effectively juggle the assignments of multiple bosses. As the university’s face to the customer (students), polished communication skills would enable them to more effectively communicate with these customers. Solution: The college hired Mary to present a communication workshop for this group. Mary customised training focused on assertive communication skills and how to work with difficult people. Also, the group participated in a personality assessment to gain insight into their individual communication style and, with role playing, learned how to communicate with people who have different communication styles. Results: The college invites Mary to conduct a communication workshop for this group every year, focusing on various communication aspects. Participants rave that the workshops are interactive and relevant to their job. They feel empowered with tools and skills to handle any communication situation. Dealing with Confrontations Many people cannot handle confrontation and start to shake, they lose control of their voice pitch and cannot control their thoughts. It is frustrating when someone is putting you down and you cannot argue back as you have a touch of confrontation jitters. It is the ‘Flight or Fight’ syndrome kicking in as it pumps adrenaline through your body in readiness of getting your body prepared to either ‘Flight’ or ‘Fight’. Some tips to deal with confrontation: * Take a deep breath, this lowers your heartbeat and blood pressure. * If you can, take five minutes to rehearse what you will say. Make key points for your argument. * Realise what triggers your anger and prepare a response to that trigger. By doing this you are aware of what buttons others can push to provoke a certain response. When you know your own triggers it is less likely that someone can push these buttons as you are prepared. * Make the other person aware of how confrontational they are being such as ‘why are you being so confrontational? ’ this turns the energy back on them and lets them reflect on themselves. This may calm them down as most people get lost in the moment and do not realise they are being aggressive. * Don’t get sucked into other people’s arguments where the purpose is to manipulate you into loosing and thereby showing the other person that they are superior. If you don’t get sucked in there is no argument to win and you will come out looking the better person. Figure 7: Conflict Management Model. Conclusion This essay has examined the positive effects that assertiveness can have on your social and business interactions. It is an ongoing development process where you need to be actively involved in modifying your behavior patterns. Assertiveness includes the right to choose not to assert yourself. There is no rule saying that you have to assert yourself all the time and in some situations you may feel it is better not to say anything. Generally, though, you are likely to find that being more assertive has a significant positive impact on your life. Because some people want to be â€Å"nice† and â€Å"not cause trouble,† they â€Å"suffer in silence,† and assume nothing can be done to change their situation. We appreciate pleasant, accommodating people but whenever a nice person allows a greedy, dominant person to take advantage of them, the passive person is not only cheating themselves but also reinforcing unfair, self-centered behavior in the aggressive person. True assertiveness means without aggression, guilt or fear. It is far more effective in the long run and infinitely more satisfying. Winning others to your way of thinking, the legitimate way, is much more fun. By choosing to be assertive and by following the steps outlined in this essay, you will know that you have the power over any situation, over your own feelings and stress levels. Recommendations Being assertive is being able to express yourself with confidence, without resorting to passiveness, aggressiveness or manipulative. By developing assertiveness and being aware of your strengths and weaknesses you can learn how to modify your behavior in both social and work interactions, therefore enhancing your career prospects and improving your social life. Practice your skills on someone you are unlikely to meet again. If you fail, realise where you have gone wrong and try again. Attending workshops and seminars can be extremely valuable especially when given the opportunity to use role-play to uncover your response in various interpersonal situations. Assertiveness is closely linked to self-esteem and body language so it is important to build on these ideas too. The Irish Training and Educational Centre (ITEC) run an ‘Assertiveness at Work’ distance learning course online for a fee of â‚ ¬330 covering 6 modules. This course can be signed up for online (https://www. irishtraining. ie/business/assertiveness_work. html) or by phoning ITEC on 01-2897579 Appendices Figure 1: The Assertiveness Triangle Figure 2: Assertiveness, graph mode. Figure 3: The different behavioral types. Figure 4: Examples of the different types of behavior. Figure 5: Motivation and ability graph. Figure 6: Target behavior graph showing effects of core motivators. Figure 7: Conflict Management Model. Bibliography Johnson J, â€Å"Developing Assertiveness†, First Edition, James Madison University, MA USA, 2004 Lloyd S, â€Å"Positive Assertiveness†, Third Edition, Thomson Learning, Boston MA USA, 2002 Mullen P, â€Å"Management/Supervisory Skills†, Logicert, Cork 2003 References https://www. irishtraining. ie/business/assertiveness_work. html https://www. ciltuk. corg. com/theknowledgecentre http://www. wisegeek. com/what-is-a-self-fulfilling-prophecy. htm Aitchison, S. , â€Å"7 Tips For Dealing With Confrontation† http://www. stevenaitchison. o. uk/blog/7-tips-for-dealing-with-confrontation, June 6, 2011 http://www. sandiego. edu/slic/images/3%20types%20interpersonal. pdf http://www. donnaschilder. com/Inspirational-Articles/Relationships/7-Steps-to-Positive-Assertiveness. shtml http://psychcentral. com/blog/archives/2010/02/25/building-assertiveness-in-4-s teps/ http://s-wagner. tamu. edu/classes/KINE%20214/teachi ngstrategies. pdf http://my. safaribooksonline. com/book/personal-development/1560526009/ensuring-successful-change/14#X2ludGVybmFsX0ZsYXNoUmVhZGVyP3htbGlkPTEtNTYwNTItNjAwLTkvMTQ= http://www. odayisthatday. com/how-to-program-yourself-for-success-by-locking-down-your-mental-hard-drive/ http://www. deseretnews. com/article/705323554/Successful-behavior-change-requires-thinking-and-doing. html http://www. improvementtower. com/Assertiveness_in_Work_Place. html HTTP://CALLTHESHRINK. BLOGSPOT. COM/2009/04/ASSERTIVENESS-TRAINING. HTML http://www. strategicinsight. biz/index. php? option=com_content;view=article;id=56;Itemid=60 ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Mullen, Pat â€Å"Module 4, Management/Supervisory Skills† (2003) Pg. 60 How to cite Developing Positive Assertiveness, Papers

Comparing The Deserter by Winifred M Letts and The Hero by Siegfried Sassoon Essay Example

Comparing The Deserter by Winifred M Letts and The Hero by Siegfried Sassoon Paper Both poems are during the period of war. Each of these two poems is talking about a certain person during the war time, whether he was seen as great man or an ignorant abandoner, both poems relate to a significant person. From the beginning of the story, we can already separate which one is seen as a hero and who is seen as unforgiving. The two poems begin with a completely different tones; one is delightful, but The Deserter starts already in the first verse with an unnamed man and the reader already sees him as worthless and unimportant. In The Deserter there is a clear sign of repetition in the verses 4 to 5, so as to emphasis the faults that this nameless man committed and show his mistakes in a deeper aspect. During the entire poem, the man is described as a frightened child and is seen as a hare, which is the animal at the bottom of a food chain, nonetheless worthless and unimportant. The colours described in this poem are dark, signs of death and abandon, of fear and darkness, where grey is the most dominant. Yet again, in verses 24 to 25, a repetition of an English bullet in his heart shows that the author is feeling a sense of betrayal by this lost man and how he must have left his troops and men behind, dependent on him all along. Betrayal during war times war unacceptable, yet quite frequent. This poem enables us to see that even though this happened rather often, deserting the field was seen as offensive act. In Verse 16, the author mentions the fear of death that many soldiers had at the time; it seems that it is something which is dishonourable even though it is only natural for a man to fear death and what is beyond. We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing The Deserter by Winifred M Letts and The Hero by Siegfried Sassoon specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing The Deserter by Winifred M Letts and The Hero by Siegfried Sassoon specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Comparing The Deserter by Winifred M Letts and The Hero by Siegfried Sassoon specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer In this poem, it seems that whatever the deserter does, even if it is a simple action; the author will view it as wrong and judge him furthermore for his previous actions. When the author describes the mothers reactions to his death, it is seen as ironic and a rather dark humour against the young fellow yet again. It seems that even his own mother would be distraught if she knew the about his sons death. It feels unfair for the reader to see this but the poem ends on a rather unsatisfying note. The author places the deserter into a deserters grave, a place where only the worthless people settle and is not worth any visiting. The Hero is a poem that is different to The Deserter in many ways. Even if in the two poems, the authors are describing soldiers from the war, their faiths are completely different and the authors attitude towards them also is. From the beginning the author sees the death of this young man a tragedy rather than deliverance and he does not criticise his actions rather than his personality. The poem immediately starts with the mothers reaction to the young mans death, whereas The Deserter ended on that point. When the mother says that she is so proud of how her son dies, it shows how moved she is by his death and how even though she is full of sadness, she cannot help but to be proud. But as the poem continues the tone slowly becomes more pessimistic and ironic than at the start. The writer describes how the officer lied about the entire ordeal and mimics the mothers sadness. The writer has had a drastic change of view from the beginning and now the dead soldier is no longer seen as glorious but rather pathetic, and the mother is seen as rather modest. This poem also ends on a slightly awkward note, explaining that no one cared about the way this young man perished except that lonely woman with white hair, showing somehow that she is the only woman that ever cared for her son. In both poems, the mothers are the ones that play the role of the appearing parent, this is most probably because mothers are seen as more sensitive and they are more patient towards the wait for their sons news. Both stories end, with the mother proud, even though neither of the parents truly knows what happened to their sons. The two poems are quite ironic in a way and set an uncomfortable ending, something which keeps the readers on edge. Both poems successfully show us the difficulties of the war, and for many soldiers, it was terribly hard to deal with and many suffered and simply wished to travel back home or disappear from the battle field.

Formal Diary Entry Essay Example

Formal Diary Entry Essay Example Formal Diary Entry Paper Formal Diary Entry Paper Dear diary, I was reading one of the latest teenage magazines today. I find them rather interesting and informative because they are full of very compelling articles about role models in sport and culture. In this generation. There was a very amusing article on a singer called Mile Cyrus. She is an interesting character. It is amazing to watch what happens to young celebrities, as they get older. Often, after many years in the spotlight, some celebrities appear to develop a very undesirable image. Mile was always a very good role model towards young people but now she shaves her head ND has a few too many tattoos. : There was also a very enlightening article on Ian Thorpe. Ian Thorpe is a fantastic swimmer and I admire him greatly. I was amazed to read that he is 192 centimeters tall with an incredible arm span. No wonder he was such a good swimmer! He used to have depression when he was younger man. Its quite astonishing to see that he broke 22 world records during his very successful career while battling depression. Ian has been treated for depression since he was a teenager. He was quite embarrassed about his condition so he kept it a secret, even from his parents. He also had a very minor alcohol problem. Before his first race at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, he was very unhappy and drank a lot of alcohol to make himself feel better. He has also suffered from suicidal thoughts and didnt believe that he could ever recover. It wasnt until several years after his retirement that his mental health improved. Over the years, Ian Thorpe has been a very successful swimmer. He won multiple Olympic medals and won many awards such as the 2002 World Swimmer of the Year. When he was only fourteen years old, he was selected to represent Australia in he 400-meter freestyle. This made him the youngest male to ever represent Australia! He is traveled around the world during his career and has been to many places such as London, Tokyo, Paris and New York! A high profile coach quoted that he was the greatest swimmer the world has ever seen. He is also sponsored by Aids, Santa, Tellers and Seven Network. It was would be quite breathtaking to see your face on billboards and front covers of magazines all over the world. In 2007, he qualified for the World Championships selection trials, but unfortunately e had to withdraw from the competition because he had bronchitis. He then had glandular fever and afterwards he broke his wrist, which was unfortunate because he was hoping to return to the Commonwealth Games after his retirement. No wonder he was finding life so difficult. During all this, he then had to put up with the media asking questions about his sexuality and whether he was homosexual or not. I find it incredible that people can be so intrusive when it comes to celebritys private lives. That someday I will be as good as him. Until tomorrow diary, Maggie

Chinese Gift-Giving Etiquette

Chinese Gift-Giving Etiquette Not only is the choice of gift important in Chinese culture, but how much you spend on it, how you wrap it, and how you present it are equally important. When Should I Give a Gift? In Chinese societies, gifts are given for holidays, such as birthdays, during official business meetings, and at special events like dinner at a friend’s home. While red envelopes are the more popular choice for Chinese New Year and weddings, gifts are also acceptable. How Much Should I Spend on a Gift? The value of the gift depends on the occasion and your relationship to the recipient. In business settings where more than one person will receive a gift, the most senior person should receive the most expensive gift. Never give the same gift to people of different ranks in the company. While there are times when an expensive gift is necessary, over the top and lavish gifts may not be well received for several reasons. First, the person may be embarrassed because he or she can not reciprocate with a gift of similar value or, during business deals, especially with politicians, it may appear to be a bribe. When giving a red envelope, the amount of money inside will depend on the situation. There is great debate over how much to give: The amount of money in red envelopes given to children for Chinese New Year depends on age and the giver’s relationship to the child. For younger children, the equivalent of about $7 dollars is fine. More money is given to older children and teenagers. The amount is usually enough for the child to buy himself a gift, such as a T-shirt or DVD. Parents may give the child a more substantial amount since material gifts are usually not given during the holidays. For employees at work, the year-end bonus is typically the equivalent of one month’s wage though the amount can vary from enough money to buy a small gift to more than one month’s wage. If you go to a wedding, the money in the red envelope should be equivalent to a nice gift that would be given at a Western wedding. It should be enough money to cover the guest’s expense at the wedding. For example, if the wedding dinner costs the newlyweds US$35 per person, then the money in the envelope should be at least US$35. In Taiwan, typical amounts on money are: NT$1,200, NT$1,600, NT$2,200, NT$2,600, NT$3,200 and NT$3,600. As with Chinese New Year, the amount of money is relative to your relationship to the recipient the closer your relationship to the bride and groom, the more money that is expected. Immediate family like parents and siblings give more money than casual friends. It is not uncommon for business partners to be invited to weddings. Business partners often put more money in the envelope to strengthen the business relationship. Less money is given for birthdays than is given for Chinese New Year and weddings because it is viewed as the least important of the three occasions. Nowadays, people often just bring gifts for birthdays. For all occasions, certain amounts of money are to be avoided. Anything with a four is best avoided because å›› (sà ¬, four) sounds similar to æ ­ » (sÇ , death). Even numbers, except four, are better than odd. Eight is a particularly auspicious number. The money inside a red envelope should always be new and crisp. Folding the money or giving dirty or wrinkled bills is in bad taste. Coins and checks are avoided, the former because change is not worth much and the latter because checks are not widely used in Asia. How Should I Wrap the Gift? Chinese gifts can be wrapped with wrapping paper and bows, just like gifts in the West. However, some colors should be avoided. Red is lucky. Pink and yellow symbolize happiness. Gold is for fortune and wealth. So wrapping paper, ribbon, and bows in these colors are best. Avoid white, which is used in funerals and connotes death. Black and blue also symbolize death and should not be used. If you include a greeting card or gift tag, do not write in red ink as this signifies death. Never write a Chinese person’s name in red ink as this is considered bad luck. If you are giving a red envelope, there are a few points to remember. Unlike a Western greeting card, red envelopes given at Chinese New Year are typically left unsigned. For birthdays or weddings, a short message, typically a four character expression, and signature is optional. Some four-character expressions appropriate for a wedding red envelope are Ã¥ ¤ ©Ã¤ ½Å"ä ¹â€¹Ã¥ Ë† (tiÄ nzuà ² zhÄ «hà ©, marriage made in heaven) or ç™ ¾Ã¥ ¹ ´Ã¥ ¥ ½Ã¥ Ë† (bÇŽinin hÇŽo hà ©, happy union for one hundred years). The money inside a red envelope should always be new and crisp. Folding the money or giving dirty or wrinkled bills is in bad taste. Coins and checks are avoided, the former because change is not worth much and the latter because checks are not widely used in Asia. How Should I Present the Gift? It is best to exchange gifts in private or to an entire group. At business meetings, it is bad taste to offer only one  person a gift in front of everyone else. If you have only prepared one gift, you should give it to the most senior person. If you are concerned about whether giving a gift is appropriate, it is okay to say the gift is from your company rather than you. Always give gifts to the most senior person first. Don’t be surprised if your gift is immediately reciprocated with a gift of equal value as this is the way Chinese people say thank you. If you are given a gift, you should also repay the gift with something of equal value. When giving the gift, the recipient may not immediately open it because it might embarrass them, or they may appear greedy. If you receive a gift, you should not immediately open it. may appear greedy. If you receive a gift, you should not immediately open it. Most recipients will first politely decline the gift. If he or she profusely refuses the gift more than once, take the hint and don’t push the issue. When giving a gift, hand the gift to the person with both hands. The gift is considered an extension of the person and handing it over with both hands is a sign of respect. When receiving a gift, also accept it with both hands and say thank you. Post-gift giving, it is customary to send an e-mail or better, a thank you card, to show your gratitude for the gift. A phone call is also acceptable.

How successful has the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Essay

How successful has the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Australia been in running the Australian economy over the l - Essay Example Trade policy in Australia supports open trade as well introduction of Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations which promoted economic growth for 17 consecutive years just before the global financial crisis. This writing analyses the degree of success that the Australian Government and the Reserve Bank of Australia been in running the Australian economy over the last two years. Australia’s economy is believed to have performed successfully in the recent years due to policies and strategies that the government and the Reserve Bank of Australia have made. Although there have been challenges and some sort of inconsistency in the economic growth for the last two years, the government has done tremendous things to boost the economy. According to Greber (2013, n.p), the Australian government has attempted to curb debt but the budgetary position has not fared on very well in the last few years leading to higher deficits and high level of unemployment. Additionally, there has bee n a reduction of revenue accompanied with increase in expenditure, which has greatly strained Australia’s budget for the last two years. However, the budget deficit was lower than the Europe’s making Australia to be in a somehow better situation compared to the region. Australia’s credit rating is currently AAA but the credit rating agencies have received strong criticism since the 2008 financial crisis. The agencies could not detect the jumble financial products that led to eventual fall of various financial institutions thus raising lots of questions regarding reliability of credit ratings. It is therefore apparent that dynamics of microeconomic indicators be used in determining the strength of Australian economy. On the other hand, Australia is one of the largest capitalist economies in the world and in 2011; it was position 13 in terms of national economy. The economy is dominated by service sector which makes up a bigger percentage of the GDP although econo mic growth mostly depends on the mining sector. According to Australian Government (2013), the government has somehow enhanced economic freedom thus making her economy the most free in 2013 index. The free economy has been consistent for the last two years especially freedom from corruption and business freedom. The government’s commitment to economic freedom as well as openness to investment and global trade has made Australia to rebound so quick from the global recession. This is actually plausible because most countries have not been able to recover from the crisis. Unfortunately, the government has not done much in terms of labor and poor management of expenditure. According to Thirlwell (2013, n.p), government and the Reserve Bank of Australia have ensured stabilized fiscal and monetary policies thus allowing banks to withstand the global financial crisis. In addition, public finances have somehow been managed well thus reducing the national debt compared to other econom ies. The government has created a stable and transparent climate for doing business making it one of the most steadfast and appealing place for entrepreneurs. There is also an independent judicial system, which has ensured protection of property rights and further allows easier and reliable enforcement of contracts. There is a tradition of clean and fair government that has smoothly worked for the last two years thus reducing bribery of public officials. Moreover, Australian government has boosted and attracted investors

Project Management Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Project Management - Case Study Example This is because any additional work may likely lead to increased costs of operation. If all factors are held constant, there should be no consideration for the increase in the productivity since the increase will likely lead to a decrease in the profits. Consequently, since the indirect costs are accrued daily on the project but, are fixed, the possibilities would be that of increasing the costs of certain specific projects while at the same time decreasing the project time. The decrease in project duration of a specific activity results in an overall decrease in the duration for the whole project hence, a decrease in the total overheads (Meredith & Samuel 204). Another related issue with the tradeoffs is the determination of activities to be crashed for the enabling of maximum overall job profits. Therefore, the cost-time tradeoffs will enhance the costs of specific activities in the project while reducing the overall cost for the project (Nagarajan 105). Question 2: Options for acc elerating project completion There are several options that can be available to the project manager for the enhancement of the completion of the intended project. These include addition of extra resources into the project, outsourcing for the project work, scheduling of overtime for the project and the establishment of a core project team to look over the project’s completion. Other options for the acceleration are conduction the project twice (repeated project), faster and correctly than the first case (Gray & Erik 324). However, these options may only apply when the resources for the project are not constrained. If the resources are constrained, then the options available would be fast-tracking of the project to hasten its completion, development and adoption of a critical chain for the completion of the project, reduction of the scope of the project and the compromising of the quality of the project though a faster conduct for as long as it is completed (Gido & James 130). In the first scenario, a project manger may enhance completion of a project through the addition of resources. While this will probably lead to augmented costs to the project, it will increase the rate at which the project is delivered thus, a reduction in the time of the project. Activities that can be done in regard to this include employment or hiring of additional staff and purchasing of additional equipment to carry out the tasks. In the second scenario, a project manger may schedule the work involved in the project to entail workers doing overtime. In this regard, the extension in work time will hasten the completion of the project but at an increased cost of maintenance of workers in overtime shifts (Haynes 44). The project manage can also enhance the completion of the project through outsourcing of the project either in terms of outsourcing other materials and laborers from other companies or giving a fraction or the entire project to a different company to carry out. This, just like the former process will reduce the project duration and enhance faster completion of the project but, at a higher cost to the project (Morris 98). Finally, the project manager may enhance the completion of the project through the establishment of a core project team which will be tasked to oversee the stages of the project to its finishing point. In this, the team has to put more efforts to be

Software Piracy From An Islamic Perspective Information Technology Essay

Software Piracy From An Islamic Perspective Information Technology Essay Software piracy is considered to be unethical as such act may hugely affect the right of ones ownership towards his/her products and piece of works. However, statistics (refer:http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/cri_sof_pir_rat-crime-software-piracy-rate) indicate that the rate of software piracy is high especially among the developing nations, in which majority of them are Muslims. In fact, this problem seems to have no ending point despite all the efforts and initiatives done either at the individual, group, national or international levels. Discuss this critical issue of software piracy in the light of Islamic point of view on ethics and ownership. Everywhere in the face of this earth, the issue of using pirated software is widely talked and discussed by people. However, do people really understand and know what is the meaning of software piracy, the copyright infringement of software (often referred to as software piracy) refers to several practices which involve the unauthorized copying of computer software. Copyright infringement of this kind is extremely common. Most countries have copyright laws which apply to software, but the degree of enforcement varies  [1]  . There are several reasons not to use pirated or pirate software. Firstly, it is illegal and there is liability on your part. Its risky. If the software is from an unauthorized source, you could be getting a program that is not fully functional. Secondly, there wont be another version of the software if there is no revenue to put back into research and development. This revenue has made the product affordable to legitimate users. Thirdly, it is totally not eth ical. Or we like to say doing the right thing when no one is looking. Ask yourself how you would feel if your lifes work went without compensation? Start now and be an ethical professional.  [2]   Software piracy refers to the act of copying different computer software without having to pay for them. This is a form of stealing intellectual property. Intellectual property and copyright fall under the same area which declared that copyright provides legal rights exclusively given for a definite periods to the creators of an intellectual work, e.g. literary works (anything in writing), artistic works (drawings, maps, plans etc), musical works, films, sound recordings, computer programs (source and object code) for sale or any other use. It is, in principle, not concerned with things that are not perceivable, such as abstract ideas, concept, and the like. Copyright protection begins when works are actually created and fixed in a tangible form. the emerging digital technology, increasing use of computers, communication technology and their convergence into an integrated information technology, have given rise to challenging legal issues for copyright and many mire are expected in t he future, the ease of distribution, altering digital information and proliferation of computer networking, raise concerns about copyright. Copyright was designed for three basic reasons: to reward creators for their original works: to encourage availability of the works to the public; and to facilitate access and use of copyrighted works by their public in certain circumstances.  [3]   As mentioned before, software piracy is illegal. Sarcastically, many who are practicing and involving in pirate software are fully aware of the legalities, though they are able to reduce continuing the practice. Some think about the only solution that works without splurging too much money on purchasing the product. Around the world, authorities are already enlisted and stated the laws regarding software piracy, these are some of them:  [4]   Counterfeit Copies Producing counterfeit copies and selling them to other consumers is a grave offense. There are different punishments in different countries but all are in agreement that making money off of someone elses intellectual property is an offense. This includes making copies of different software, such as games, video games and other software that is used for the computer. Distributing Counterfeit Copies Creating counterfeit copies and giving them away is also a form of piracy. Even if the person does not charge anything for these copies, it is considered an offense as the person is not the owner of the copyright or does not have the consent of the copyright owner to distribute the copies. This is one of the most rampant piracy practices that the anti-piracy association is trying to fight. Selling Computers with Pre-installed Pirated Software Although the item for sale here is the computer, this is considered an offense as the computer for sale is loaded with different pirated programs. This act is also known as hard disk loading. This is considered an offense because the consumer who will buy the computer does not receive the copy of the original program and the other items included with it, including the CDs or license agreements. Online Sharing Sharing of software online is prohibited. Freeware and shareware programs are the only programs that can be distributed online. Other software is not allowed to be shared with other people over the Internet. This also includes piracy music. The Internet can be used as a means of transmitting illegal software to different people around the world. This is the case for plenty of copyright software. Shareware with No License Although shareware can be legally distributed over the Internet, it becomes illegal when the license for use has already expired. This works for software that can be downloaded for a free trial. Using this software after the free trial has expired is considered software piracy. Software licensing must be acquired before these shareware programs can be shared with anyone else. Islam is supposed to be a complete way of life. A Muslim is bound by Islamic rules and hence is obliged to follow the instructions as prescribed in the Quran and Hadiths. Islam is a religion based upon the surrender to God (Allah). The very name of the religion, al-Islam in Arabic, means submission and peace, for it is in submitting to Gods will that human beings gain peace in their lives in this world and in the hereafter. Islam is considered to be a comprehensive religion and its ethical system is considered to be one of the major ethical systems. Owing to the importance of establishing an ethical system in the field of IT, especially at our present time which is witnessing an ever increasing ethical problems, several specialist organizations have prepared codes of ethics to be complied with by members of those organizations.  [5]   The main agendas which can be recognized to ethics in relation to information technology can be tied down to hacking, privacy, software piracy and IT personnel work ethics. By taking into deeper look, we begin to realize that ethics and information technology involve more issues which on the whole are just as worst. These are some issues related: Computer professionals responsibilities towards their employers and their clients; Proper documentation of software by designers and developers; Proper testing of software by designers and developers; Handover of systems to clients; Designers and developers leaving a computer project mid-stream; Providing maximum security of software to clients; Computer professionals honoring the proprietary issues relating to the algorithms, procedures and data; Computer professionals working towards accurate systems with the aim of Complete data integrity; and Computer professionals involvement in developing systems aimed at unethical ends. In defining the concept of harm that can be done by an IT professional or just normal people and civilians, harm can be defined as the undesired effects to individuals or organizations resulting from any task or system (software) used. In order to avoid the harm Allah has warned us to be honest and trustworthy through his word of wisdom which is Al-Quran in Surah 13, Ayah 119: O ye who believe! Fear Allah and be with those who are truthful. And Prophet Muhammad (saw) has said: The trader must avoid five qualities, otherwise he should not buy or sell: Usury, swearing by God that the merchandise is good, withholding the defect, commending (the commodity) when selling and belittling (it) when he is buying (Tahtheeb al-Ahkam Ch. 7).  [6]   The verses above clearly emphasize the importance of telling the truth and how God perceives those who tell the truth and how they are rewarded. The first verse encourages people to be in the group of those who are honest and only tell the truth whilst the second verse portrays the great reward of those who were truthful on earth. Suggest potential solutions to at least minimize the act of software piracy among these societies. Before we can move on to the deeper solutions, why not we discover what the real are cause the occurrence of software piracy. Causes of piracy and counterfeiting may include rising cost of original software, making them unaffordable to a large segment of the population, advances in technology (tools for reproduction of copyright product) making piracy an easy task, low starting cost for pirating, absence or lack of enforcing copyright laws, huge profits can be made easily by pirates and weak deterrent (fines and prison sentences are minimal). The literature suggests that many factors explain the software piracy phenomena. These factors are grouped into four categories: first is an economic factor; suggest that Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita is inversely related to software piracy level. Given the decrease in software prices, it may be that a countrys GDP has a less effect on piracy than it did some years ago. Second is ethnical factors; software piracy is assumed to be more prevalent in nations with a weak IT infrastructure since the quality of available software is lower. Thus, people often copy and work with pirated software. The problem is compounded as software revisions occur. While the need to remain competitive through upgrades is important, it is worthwhile only when affordable. Thirdly is regulatory factors; developing countries may unintentionally encourage software piracy by imposing high tariffs, hence increasing the cost of software. It is also believed that lack of penalties for buying pirated softw are are also reasons for piracy growth. And lastly social/cultural factors; these factors refer to the prevailing social and cultural attitudes shared by members of a society. Many studies have indicated that the culture factor influences a countrys software piracy rate.  [7]   Getting through with the causes, the disadvantages are seen to come along due to lack of public awareness of in third world countries. There is probably the lost revenue to the companies and countries involved, the increased prices by software companies to compensate for losses, lost jobs wherever software companies have plants, lost domestic and foreign investments, lost trust in the ability of some countries to protect intellectual property, immoral activity condemned by all religions, illegal activity leading to prosecution and increased international pressure at the economic, financial, Political level. According to Robert Hollyman, BSA president and chief executive officer, software piracy robs the global economy of hundreds of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in wages and tax revenues.  [8]   Given the situation of software piracy in campus since it is a small community yet has quite big of potential software piracy practice. Software piracy on college campuses may be generally divided into two categories. The first occurs when the institution itself is violating copyright law. This results when installations of software programs are in excess of the terms stated in the licensing agreement or under law. For example, software that is licensed for use on a single machine is installed on many computers or on a network server, allowing unlimited access. Oftentimes, the school is unaware of the problem as a result of poor or no software management. In other instances the school simply cannot afford to buy software and chooses to risk the infringements. Students more commonly conduct the second type of piracy. In this scenario the piracy often takes place on the Internet where students trade or simply give away software programs as one would trade. If the students are using the schools network or computers to facilitate their illegal activity, the college itself may be held liable. All members of the campus community can take steps to prevent such illegal activity and minimize misuse of computer resources. It is important to promote an understanding of the law and to ensure that specific procedures and protocols are implemented to establish a foundation on which illegal activity may be prevented.  [9]   Discussing these two issues, there are five solutions offered to enable schools to be software legal: Appoint a software manager. Create and implement a computer usage policy, including software and Internet access. Conduct periodic software audits. Establish and maintain a software log of licenses and registration materials. Teach and promote awareness of software compliance. It is stated above that in the case of school, college or university software piracy where some solutions are proposed but, generally these are some more solutions and tips to prevent or lessen the software piracy. The first tip is by applying the code key For the past 5 to 7 years, software developers have devised a plan to lessen or prevent software piracy. This is by using a code key. A code key comes with the software that you buy. Before fully installing the software on your computer, you must provide the specific code key that came with the software. After providing the code key, you can run the software on your computer. The code key also locks after it has been used. This is so that the software cannot be installed on other computers after it has been installed on one. You will have to call the manufacturer of the software to be able to use the code key again. This is not good news to people who pirate software. Secondly is the introduction of open source; described as free software that anyone can download from the Internet. A lot of different software can are licensed as open source. Open source software is under the license free software license. There are also different upgrades for these open source software that can also be freely downloaded from the Internet. By using open source software, people dont need to worry about spending a lot of money for original copies of software. This will also lessen the number of people who are using pirated software as there are alternative programs that can be used and they do not have to pay fines when they are caught. Third is the hardware key; a hardware key is a device that is used for anti-piracy. This tool prevents software vendors to distribute their products or use them without authorization from the copyright owner of the software. The hardware key works when it is attached to a computer. It monitors software licensing and enforces licensing of the protected software that is detected on the computer. This tool will lessen software vendors from illegally distributing the software that they have and is a good prevention measure for piracy. And lastly is anti-piracy software; there are different types of anti-piracy software that are available for free. Anti-piracy software is used to prevent illegal duplication or illegal use of copyrighted software. There is also an anti-piracy software that prevents hackers from getting into the software and copying it without consent from the copyright owner. Some of them are also already integrated on the disks of the software that contains the program. This may also be for piracy music. The anti-piracy association is also looking for other ways to prevent software piracy. Reporting anti-piracy may prevent it from happening.  [10]   These are some of the measures that have been implemented or created to stop and prevent software piracy. With the improvement of technology, there are a lot of things people can use to bypass these piracy measures but there are always new and effective things to use against piracy. The issue of software piracy seems to remain a permanent feature of the marketplace. It is a problem that will not go away, but it can be controlled or curbed to reduce its negative effect on the companies and countries involved. There are some measures that can be taken to reduce piracy acts and the losses associated with them. Piracy is not going to be eliminated or eradicated from the world, but it sure can be curbed and reduced to its minimum activities with the cooperation of the developed and the developing countries in taking these drastic measures to make the world a better place to live.